2007 NHL Season Review

Play pen

Evgeni Malkin burst onto the scene scoring goals (seven in all) in each of his first six NHL games. Though he only scored 26 in his next 72 games, including just two in his final 14 games of the season, Malkin was voted the league’s top rookie.

Meanwhile, Jordan Staal made the team in training camp as an 18-year-old and was this season’s Rookie of the Year winner (shared with Malkin) going 29-13. Of course, that’s goals and assists, but he also set an NHL rookie mark by scoring seven times when his team was shorthanded.

Simple Simon

Islanders winger Chris Simon was suspended a minimum 25 games after cracking Rangers pest Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick. Simon’s penalty included the final 15 games of the 2006-'07 season, five play-off games and the first five games of 2007-'08 (if he signs a new contract).

Devils lous

After firing coach Claude Julien with three games remaining in the regular season, New Jersey was a second-round casualty with GM Lou Lamoriello filling in behind the bench. Julien’s crime? Pushing his team over the 100-point plateau (102) and having them sitting tied for second in the Eastern Conference. Shame on him.

Holy smokes

It was a slightly eventful season for the Islanders. They hired Neil Smith as GM, dumped him a few weeks later and made the backup goalie, Garth Snow, the new GM. Then the Islanders signed its starter, Rick DiPietro, to a 15-year contract. Wait, there’s more: Chris Simon was suspended for 25 games (see above); Sean Hill tested positive for steroids; they made a big splash at the trade deadline getting Ryan Smyth from Edmonton; Mike Milbury finally left the organization after a 12-year reign of error; and finally, the team bought out the final four years of expensive and underachieving center Alexei Yashin at a cost of $17.63 million.

Masterton worthy

Boston rookie Phil Kessel was awarded the Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Kessel missed a month in December after it was discovered he had testicular cancer. He returned in January and completed his first NHL season with 11 goals and 29 points in 70 games — and a penchant for shoot-out game-winners — and the respect and admiration of his teammates, opponents and fans.

and finally…

Tampa’s Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St-Louis formed the league’s best 1-2 scoring punch, but the Bolts’ inconsistent goaltending crushed their Cup hopes.

Colorado’s Paul Stastny established a rookie record with points in 20 straight games — beating the franchise record of 16 set by his dad, Peter, in 1980-'81.